I feel cold all the time

[mansfield]

Hello, advice please. I always feel the cold even when I have lots of layers on. I've tried eating soup, warming foods etc and lots of warm fluids but even on days when the weathers not too bad I always seem to feel cold. I've not got a lot of fat on me and am a very energetic person usually. I've had my thyroid function checked before and that was ok. Any suggestions on what I can do to warm up appreciated, thanks

Make sure you're a healthy weight as a starting point. That means a BMI between 20 and 25. If your BMI is below 18.5 you'd be classed as 'clinically underweight' and you'd be advised to see a doctor. http://www.caloriecounting.co.uk/resources/charts/bmi.htm BMI CHART If you don't have adequate body-fat/muscle then you will feel the cold. Also, if you are underweight or too low a weight then the likely reason for staying there is 'not eating enough'... and that can mean you're more generally malnourished as a result.

BMI CHART

OK thanks, also I dont eat a lot of protein, dont know if that makes a difference. Love being outdoors but feel I spend most of my time freezing and huddling in a corner.

have you had your iron levels checked because this could be a factor.

I too am always cold (so was looking for tips on here !)

My iron levels were very low (7) & although I got them back up to 14 & felt a bit better, heavy periods mean I'm always tending to be a bit on the low side.

You should try to up your protein levels for your general health anyway & you may find you feel better,

Out of interest, what did your thyroid test come back as ?

How long ago was your thyroid checked? Just wondering if you should get it tested again.

I was always cold when I was a bit underweight. Putting on a bit of weight made a huge difference. Easier said than done, I know.

I would try improving my diet and putting on a bit of weight, first, and then start tp worry about it if that didn't help - but being thin with a low protein diet really doesn't sound very healthy to me, so on the face of it, I'm not surprised you're cold all the time at the moment.

As a matter of interest, is there a reason why you have low protein in your diet? Do you have lots of food intolerances?

It's not really 'protein' that will cause the problem, much more 'calories'.... Calories = energy and burning that energy = heat. If you light one little lump of coal you get a very small fire. Same thing.

If you don't eat much protein because you are vegetarian that isn't a problem. However, vegetarians have to be especially vigilant about both the quality and quantity of their diet if they are to be healthy and well-nourished.

Rather than guessing you should run a simple exercise. Use an online calorie calculator and food diary like the free one they have at Calorie Count and keep track of everything you eat and drink for a week. Typically a reasonably active woman over the age of 21 needs about 2000 cals a day to maintain a healthy wweight and be well-nourished. If you're under 21 or you're particularly active this can rise to 2200-2400 to compensate for the extra energy needs. If your BMI is below 20 you'd need 2500-3000 cals a day to start gaining weight steadily

Not sure I agree that low protein is OK. It's a pretty vital part of a balanced diet and vegetarians are quite capable of getting sufficient protein in their diets. Getting the calories from just fat or carbohydrates is not a healthy diet in my opinion, so will cause health problems in the long term one way or the other.

The OP thought that their inability to heat up was due to lack of protein in the diet. My point is that it's more likely to be due to lack of calories (inadequate amount of food in total) than specifically lack of protein in isolation.

Energy from protein should comprise 15-20% of a healthy, balanced diet ideally. However, I think if the person is generally undereating and underweight then they should be more concerned with rectifying that and less concerned about micro-managing food group breakdowns

I am always freezing and I am also underweight, i am sure the two things are linked. I am actually lying here with the electric blanket on max!
I know there is something that can effect just your hands and feet, raynauds disease but if you are cold all over doesn't sound like that.
Thanks for posting the calorie counter, good to have something so that you can record what you are actually taking in.

I am always cold too. And I am about 30lb overweight. Go figure! Some nights recently I have been going to bed early because dh refuses to have the heating on and I am just too cold and miserable to stay up!

"I am always cold too. And I am about 30lb overweight"

You should probably talk to your doctor as you may have a problem with your circulation. Do you do much in the way of exercise?